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is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream. When the dam was completed, the resulting flooding created a reservoir of 93 acres (38 ha). The reservoir has no official name but is sometimes referred to as the
Superior Pond or Superior Impoundment. It sits at an elevation of 730 feet (220 m) above
343:
of electricity, just under 6% of the city's energy usage for the year. Most other energy sources came from near
Detroit. The Detroit Edison Company decommissioned the site in 1963 and sold it to the city of Ann Arbor. The city restored the facility and put it back into service in 1986. Soon after,
367:
In a report published by the Huron River
Watershed Council in 2019, they noted that the dam "does not generate enough electricity to cover its own annual maintenance and operating costs." Studies are being conducted on the feasibility of removing the dam—a fate that has already been determined for
311:
The reservoir and the downstream portion of the dam are open to the public, but there are no developed pathways or roads leading to the river at this point. Foot paths are cut through the woods leading to the west side of the river and the dam. The east side of the dam contains the hydroelectric
403:
The city of Ann Arbor owns the dam and the surrounding area, but the city sees little demand for converting the area into a recreational facility on par with other riverfront parks. While the city owns the dam and reservoir, most of the land surrounding it is privately-owned
Superior Township
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only, and warning signs are posted at river access points. While the
Superior Dam and its reservoir are not specifically mentioned, the advisory is often issued for long stretches of the Huron River that include the Superior Dam portion of the river.
404:
property. The area is remote and has no road access. The rowing conditions along the river at this point are not good enough to draw in large numbers of boaters, especially with very low bridge clearances and a lack of public amenities.
459:(PFOS). When this bacteria is present, prolonged contact with the water is not advised, although occasional contact with PFOS is not considered a health concern. When the advisory is in place, fishermen are advised to
355:
have active hydroelectric facilities serving Ann Arbor. Combined, the two dams produce 6,000 MWh of electricity annually. There are currently four active hydroelectric dams along the Huron River: Barton, Superior,
818:
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767:
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about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the city of Ann Arbor. The
Superior Dam is approximately 43 miles (69 km) from the Huron River mouth at
89:
288:
256:
77:
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the city entered into a 50-year contract to sell the energy back to the
Detroit Edison Company to supply electricity for Ann Arbor's
339:. The generating station only provides a very small portion of Ann Arbor's energy supply. In 1957, the four plants supplied 38
907:
513:
396:, and carrying a canoe or kayak to the site is impractical. For boaters travelling down the Huron River, there is a small dock and
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system to provide information for canoes and kayaks. The
Superior Dam does not have its own parking lot, park facilities, or
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The area surrounding the
Superior Dam is mostly undeveloped. It is a located along the Huron River Water Trail, mapped by the
324:
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685:
361:
845:
548:
335:
The
Superior Station Hydroelectric Plant was constructed alongside the dam in 1920. The facility was built by the
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sea level and has an average depth of 22.4 feet (6.8 m). The river narrows at this point, and the dam has a
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plant and is not accessible to the public at any point. The crosswalk over the dam is also restricted.
260:
892:
323:. Only Argo Dam and Barton Dam are actually within the city of Ann Arbor. Geddes Dam is within
315:
The dam is one of four dams owned by the city of Ann Arbor. The other dams are the Geddes Dam,
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737:"Improved Superior Dam Portage on Huron River Makes It Easier to Kayak from Ann Arbor to Ypsi"
305:
369:
336:
300:
8:
577:
400:, as well as improved terrain to allow portaging the dam and continuing along the river.
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271:. It was completed in 1920 and currently provides hydroelectricity to the nearby city of
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The Huron River is occasionally issued a "do not eat" fish advisory by the
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796:"Michigan extends 'Do Not Eat' Fish Advisory for Huron River to Lake Erie"
30:
766:
Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan Committee (April 28, 2009).
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631:"Peninsular Paper Dam: Hydropower Generating Capacity Estimate"
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411:. Common fish caught along this stretch of the river include
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657:"Ypsilanti City Council Votes to Tear Down Peninsular Dam"
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capacity of 17,200 cubic feet per second (487 m/s).
680:
775:. Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan Committee
878:
Buildings and structures in Washtenaw County, Michigan
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The Superior Dam and its reservoir are accessible for
523:. Lansing: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
629:Huron River Watershed Council (February 1, 2019).
819:"State: Don't Eat Huron River Fish in 5 Counties"
793:
576:
869:
449:Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
484:Huron River Watershed Council (November 2015).
693:(Map). c. 1:126.720. Huron–Clinton Metroparks
549:"Ann Arbor Officials Get Argo Dam Issue Soon"
299:is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) upstream, and the
846:"Huron River 'Do Not Eat' Advisory Extended"
287:The Superior Dam is located in southwestern
769:Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan
451:when the waters accumulate high levels of
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514:Michigan Department of Natural Resources
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903:Energy infrastructure completed in 1920
761:
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687:Huron River Canoeing & Kayaking Map
542:
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275:, which owns and maintains the dam and
883:Hydroelectric power plants in Michigan
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712:Huron River Watershed Council (2020).
608:"Superior Station Hydroelectric Plant"
479:
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794:City of Ann Arbor (August 31, 2018).
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61:Location within the state of Michigan
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372:1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream.
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798:(Press release). City of Ann Arbor
735:Stanton, Ryan J. (June 26, 2012).
503:
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18:Dam in Superior Township, Michigan
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919:
817:Hicks, Mark (September 1, 2018).
351:Today, only the Superior Dam and
547:McGovern, Judy (April 4, 2019).
52:
45:
29:
908:1920 establishments in Michigan
838:
810:
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728:
716:. Huron River Watershed Council
636:. Huron River Watershed Council
491:. Huron River Watershed Council
705:
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655:Smith, Matthew (May 8, 2019).
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1:
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610:. Ann Arbor District Library
144:; 104 years ago
7:
457:perfluorooctanesulfonatecan
78:Superior Township, Michigan
10:
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604:Ann Arbor District Library
384:The Superior Dam reservoir
35:Superior Dam in April 2020
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682:Huron–Clinton Metroparks
659:. Southfield, Michigan:
518:"Huron River Assessment"
390:Huron–Clinton Metroparks
234:93 acres (37.6 ha)
213:330 feet (100.6 m)
898:Dams completed in 1920
888:Huron River (Michigan)
714:"Superior Dam Portage"
385:
337:Detroit Edison Company
218:Spillway capacity
205:160 feet (48.8 m)
197:27.5 feet (8.4 m)
383:
221:17,200 ft/s (487 m/s)
173:Type of dam
105:42.26545°N 83.64452°W
370:Peninsular Paper Dam
301:Peninsular Paper Dam
584:. City of Ann Arbor
368:the decommissioned
255:. It is located in
231:Total capacity
110:42.26545; -83.64452
101: /
742:The Ann Arbor News
386:
325:Ann Arbor Township
210:Width (crest)
582:"Dams and Hydros"
578:City of Ann Arbor
461:catch and release
289:Superior Township
257:Superior Township
238:
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167:Dam and spillways
161:City of Ann Arbor
139:Opening date
915:
893:Dams in Michigan
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852:. March 13, 2019
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824:The Detroit News
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331:Hydroelectricity
261:Washtenaw County
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516:(April 1995).
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486:"Superior Dam"
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854:. Retrieved
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242:Superior Dam
241:
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24:Superior Dam
15:
850:Monroe News
283:Description
253:Huron River
249:barrage dam
188:Huron River
134:Operational
108: /
84:Coordinates
74:Huron River
872:Categories
830:August 22,
802:August 24,
468:References
376:Activities
353:Barton Dam
346:power grid
321:Barton Dam
297:Geddes Dam
265:U.S. state
96:83°38′40″W
93:42°15′56″N
856:April 10,
779:April 21,
748:April 20,
720:April 21,
697:April 20,
640:April 21,
614:April 20,
588:April 20,
562:April 20,
527:April 20,
495:April 20,
425:rock bass
358:Ford Lake
306:discharge
293:Lake Erie
273:Ann Arbor
226:Reservoir
684:(2015).
606:(2020).
580:(2020).
317:Argo Dam
269:Michigan
184:Impounds
157:Owner(s)
70:Location
661:WXYZ-TV
433:crappie
421:sunfish
398:portage
263:in the
178:Barrage
147: (
121:Purpose
666:May 8,
435:, and
394:launch
360:, and
319:, and
295:. The
202:Length
194:Height
131:Status
773:(PDF)
691:(PDF)
634:(PDF)
553:MLive
521:(PDF)
489:(PDF)
413:small
244:is a
125:Power
858:2020
832:2019
804:2019
781:2020
750:2020
722:2020
699:2020
668:2019
642:2020
616:2020
590:2020
564:2020
529:2020
497:2020
455:and
437:carp
415:and
240:The
149:1920
142:1920
341:GWh
267:of
259:in
874::
848:.
821:.
758:^
739:.
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537:^
505:^
476:^
439:.
431:,
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151:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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